Last fall Cryptic Studios, CBS and Intel asked fans to create the next starship Enterprise — the winning design would be enshrined in canon as the next generation of science fiction’s most recognizable spacegoing vessel. It would also appear in the online roleplaying game Star Trek Online.
The judges have settled on a look that owes a lot to Capt. Kathryn Janeway’s Intrepid-class ship on Star Trek: Voyager but also is distinctly related to the iconic look of the Enterprise from the original TV series in the 1960s to the Next Generation movies.
You can read all about what factors went into choosing the winning ship at STO lead designer Al Rivera’s development diary — but what you really want to see is the ship itself, no? Without further ado, I present the early in-game rendering of the Enterprise-F:
And here is an earlier draft render from a more forward perspective that shows more traditional Galaxy- and Sovereign-class roots:
Also note the interesting wrap-like structure that appears to be connecting the saucer to the lower hull, suggesting that this new version, like the Enterprise-D, has a removable saucer section. It reminds me a lot of the “hyperdrive rings” used by Jedi starfighters in the Star Wars prequels. It also, for some reason, makes me start thinking of the possibilities for interchangeable starships — warp drive damaged? Don’t worry, Starfleet will dispatch a new secondary hull right away! I don’t know how economical that would be, but it’s a fun thought.
But I digress.
Does this re-creation do justice to the noble name of Enterprise?
Not being a fan of the USS Voyager’s configuration — though I enjoyed the show just fine, for the most part — I’m surprised to say that I actually don’t mind this design. I think a larger vessel could carry off the bulky curves quite well — and this would be larger, as it’s described as being bigger than the Sovereign-class Enterprise-E seen in the most recent movies with the TNG cast.
What do you think, Trekkers? Would Messrs. Scott and La Forge approve?
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Nice design — I too lake the wrap effect. However, in terms of evolution, it looks to me like precursor to the Enterprise-E more so than a successor – in the same way that the Enterprise-C looks like a less streamlined version of the Enterprise-D. This ship also looks smaller than the “E” given the proportion of the nacelle size to that of the rest of the ship — at least from these angles.
Nice design — I too lake the wrap effect. However, in terms of evolution, it looks to me like precursor to the Enterprise-E more so than a successor – in the same way that the Enterprise-C looks like a less streamlined version of the Enterprise-D. This ship also looks smaller than the “E” given the proportion of the nacelle size to that of the rest of the ship — at least from these angles.
LOOK voyager rip OFF What happen to B O R G teck add on, Without the borg 7 of 9 upgrade,s Thay got there ASS handed to them by Everyone AND brakedowns { this is the pinto of space travel }
LOOK voyager rip OFF What happen to B O R G teck add on, Without the borg 7 of 9 upgrade,s Thay got there ASS handed to them by Everyone AND brakedowns { this is the pinto of space travel }
I love it!
It’s a structural nightmare.